Galway in Days Gone By
Galway In Days Gone By
1915
The submarine menace
The submarine menace is still with us, and the murder policy of the modern Hun was exemplified in the torpedoeing of the ‘Fulgent’ off Skelligs on the Kerry coast on Friday morning last, whereby two deaths must be recorded – that of the captain and a black man.
Nine of the crew of the Fulgent, which encountered a German submarine, were brought into Galway early on Monday morning by one of the Admiralty boats. The crew, seven of whom were blacks, were put up at the Seamen’s Home, where their wants were attended to.
The first shell from the submarine cross the Fulgent’s bows. A second shell shattered the bridge, killing the man at the wheel (a native of Jamaica) and injuring the captain. The crew of 18 at once took to the boats, and shortly after saw the steamer go down by the head,.
The crew, who were in the steamer’s two lifeboats, kept together during the day, but separated at night. The first boat, which contained the captain, was picked up by a trawler and landed on the Kerry coast, and the second boat’s crew were picked up by a collier, which passed them over to the patrol boat. None of the crew had time to save any of their belongings, and they left Galway on Monday afternoon by the mail train for Cardiff.
1940
Éire not for sale
At a convention representative of all the West Galway Fianna Fáil clubs, the Taoiseach, Mr. E. De Valera, who addressed the convention, denied the rumour which had been circulating in Dublin and which, that day, had found its way into an English newspaper that the Government had sold the Irish ports.
“Not an inch of this land is for sale,” he declared.
He said the Government did not desire an election at this time when they should rather be finding a point of unity rather than of difference, but the vacancy had existed for ten months, longer that it was usual to leave a seat vacant, and the Government thought it should be filled.
They were in dangerous times since the war broke out. A war such as it appeared at present would be as likely to affect every people, and the most important thing to remember was that it would affect them in many ways.
“It is a time for every one of us to take this war seriously and to realise that we are in danger.”
Passing of Mr. Kenny
With feelings of deepest sorrow, we announce the death of our Managing Editor, Mr. Thomas J.W. Kenny, which took place at his home at 5, The Crescent, Galway, in the early hours of Thursday morning. Not even the words that flowed like mercury from his facile pen can adequately described the great grief his death has occasioned.
Ireland has lost her staunchest champion, and Ireland will join in our heartfelt sympathy with the members of his family. The late Mr. Kenny was one of the foremost journalists of to-day. He was a brilliant wit and delightful conversationalist and speaker.
1965
Lion’s Tower
A member of Galway Borough Council maintained that Mr. John Higgins had been within his rights to partly demolish the Lion’s Tower Bastion in Eglinton Street.
Ald. Martin Walsh said the word “reconstruct” in his application for permission to do the work authorised him “to knock it to the ground”.
Mr. Higgins, an Eyre Street building contractor, planned to erect a suite of offices within the confines of the tower which he purchased after it ceased to be a national monument.
Work on the site commenced and proceeded until it was discovered that Mr. Higgins had exceeded permission and the site has lain exposed and idle for almost a year.
Tourism scheme delays
Bord Fáilte’s delay in starting the £500,000 Galway-Salthill tourist development scheme, planned over five years ago and due for completion this year, was strongly criticised at the Corporation meeting. The Board will be asked to receive a deputation to discuss the delay in the scheme.
Tennis Club expansion
The 1965 season at Galway Lawn Tennis Club seems destined to be an historic one of great advances. Tremendous changes are projected and will include new hard courts and improved dressing and showering facilities for players.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
1923
Gloom after war
The special correspondent of the “Independent”, who has been writing of the aftermath of civil war in the West, notes that a feeling of apathy, due to the uncertainty of events, exists amongst the sorely-tried people of Connemara; that politics are referred to only with disgust and that not more than fifty per cent. of the people would vote at a general election; that poverty and unemployment are rife, and there is a growing tendency towards emigration; and that there are bitter complaints of the huge impost of rates and taxes.
It is only too true that there is enough of material for the pessimist to brood over, and that a feeling of gloom permeates country towns. But it is a poor tribute to patriotism that has survived such horrors to encourage this gloom.
It is the duty of all of us to get this pessimism out of the national body and to rid ourselves of the notion that we have not enough Christianity and moral sense left to restore our people to cheerful and ordered progress and industry.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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1923
Peace negotiations
As we go to press, An Dáil is discussing the Peace negotiations between the Government and Mr. de Valera. It was announced on Wednesday for the first time that such negotiations were begun following Mr. de Valera’s “cease fire” proclamation of April 27, and that by the 30th of the month Senators Andrew Jameson and James Douglas were asked by him to discuss proposals.
They said it was for the Government to discuss; they could only confer. Into the ensuring conferences the Government declined to enter personally, but on May 3 the senators placed before Mr. de Valera the Cabinet’s terms, which were that future issues should be decided by the majority vote of the elected representatives of the people, and that as a corollary and a preliminary to the release of prisoners, all lethal weapons should be in the custody and control of the Executive Government.
Mr. de Valera relied to this on May 7 with a document in which he agreed to majority rule and control of arms, but added that arms should be stored in a suitable building in each province under armed Republican guard until after the elections in September, that the oath should not be made a test in the councils of the nation, and that all political prisoners should be released immediately on the signing of this agreement.
“You have brought back to us,” wrote President Cosgrave, “not an acceptance of our conditions, but a long and wordy document inviting debate where none is possible”.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
1923
State of the parties
Speculation as to parties after the next Irish elections is exceedingly interesting, especially in view of the enlarged franchise.
In Dublin, the view appears to be held by a number of people that Labour will make a great bid for power.
Dublin, however, has a curiously insular habit of thought where matters that concern all Ireland and in which Ireland has a say are concerned. We hope this insularity will rapidly disappear under the new conditions.
The country as a whole is backing the Farmers’ Party, and has not the smallest doubt that it will be the strongest combination in the next Dáil, and that it will oust the purely political parties, the one because it has resorted to force, the other because it has been compelled to use force to supress force, and the Labour Party because Ireland feels that at the back of its policy lurks the danger of Communism.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App
Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.
Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite HERE.
Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.
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